Duty
by aeri-diablo
Summary: Duty comes first, Duty comes always.... and besides? What business does the Great Hero have with a Sheikah?" Sheik has a conflict of duty and emotion... rated for language... post-OoT, oneshot, female-SheikxLink.


'Ello, all!!! Lady Aeri, again. This little one-shot popped into my head while I was working on my Algebra homework, and it flowed out surprisingly well. So yeah.

Anyways, this story contains female! Sheik. Why? Cuz female! Sheik doesn't get much love. So if you don't like how I gendered our favorite identity crisis, TOO BAD!!! XP!!!! I'd prefer you flame not on the gender, but your opinion of the story. And not how the gender made the story suck. Just remember- flames are used only to heat up the water for the tea.

Tootles, and Enjoy!

* * *

Every moment that passed seemed to taunt her. Every glance, every smile, every word spoken to her never seemed enough to tell the true infliction behind it. And in all truth, it was driving the Sheikah mad.

"Damn Hylians." She muttered as she punched the wall with a bandage wrapped fist. The pain stung back hard, but she kept walking the hallways next to the Queen's room. It was her duty, even if it meant that she didn't get much sleep. Sheik was roused out of her musings by a sudden motion at the end of the hall. She bent down, pulling a dagger out of her boot with a swift motion. But the response was something she didn't anticipate.

"Goddesses, Sheik! No need to try and kill me!" the voice said.

Sheik sighed, and returned the little knife to her boot. It was the one person she didn't want to see, the person who had made her punch a wall out of anger. Link.

"Good evening, _Hero_. What brings me the pleasure of seeing you so late?" Sheik said, not even trying to suppress the ice that usually crept into her tone when she spoke to him. In her head, she slapped herself. "_Don't slip. Keep it inside. Just runs. Runs away_." She saw his face drop a bit. "It's been a bit since I've saved the world, Miss Sheik. I think we can drop the whole 'Hero' title. "

"That still didn't answer my question, H-_Link_." Sheik replied with a smirk, though the veil she wore now hid it. She slumped against the wall, and slid until she sat on the floor. Link did the same, and then answered. "I… honestly, I couldn't sleep. And when I can't sleep, I usually just start walking. And I just kind… of… ended up here?" He ended with the question as Sheik raised her eyebrows at him. They sat in silence for a while, until Link finally spoke.

"Err, should we talk?"

Sheik gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" She was quite happy with the silence. It meant she didn't have to hear him talk, try and figure out what he meant, if there were any possible inflictions in his tone, if maybe, he felt the same way… She shook her head at that one.

"Well," he said, "I don't like silence. Unless it was one of those damn Redeads, everything seems to get quiet before a particularly nasty enemy comes around, and- HEY! Stop laughing! Redeads are horrid!" Sheik was almost doubled over, thinking of the Redeads coming towards him. "You try having the life force being _humped_ out of you!" He muttered, and Sheik's laughs became silent little gasps, tears streaming out of her eyes. Link watched her with a slightly quizzical look. "Women," he said quietly. He didn't get to finish the rest of the sentence though, since a well-aimed foot connected with his chest.

"What the-" he gasped, the air suddenly seeming not as plentiful as it did moment before. Sheik glared at him, her red eyes hard. "Don't… poke fun… at women." She hissed. "Don't make fun of being raped by a corpse, then." Link said back. She gave a quick nod, then sat back up. Link did the same.

"I've never seen you laugh that hard before, Sheik. Actually, I don't think I've heard you laugh before. Ever." Link said as he straightened his hat.

"I have a duty," Sheik said, rubbing her temples "And while being with the Queen can be fun, I cannot laugh when others are around. It would imply that as a faithful Sheikah bodyguard, I am failing. I am letting my emotions get the better of me, and distract me from my duty. And if my eyes closed for a moment if I laughed, the Queen might be assassinated. Therefore, not having a charge to protect, my job would be a bit useless. Seeing as I failed at it."

"You have to keep your emotions suppressed, you are forever the servant of the Royal Family, and you cannot even laugh. Being a Sheikah must suck." Link said, looking at a particular stone in the floor. It was shaped almost like a cat. Most intriguing.

"Sheikah servants cannot fall in love, either," she whispered, looking at the bandages around her fingers. When did they become so interesting? The voice in her head began to speak again. _"No. Keep the feeling hidden. You must not do this to yourself. Remember your duty… Duty comes first, Duty comes always…"_ Sheik began to unwrap, and then rewrap the bandages on her wrist. Such pretty patterns the soft cloth made…

"What?" Link was looking at the young woman across from him. Such a sudden interest with her wrist bandages seemed strange. "You speak far too sadly about that rule to not have someone you are in love with." He said curtly. "Tell me."

Sheik raised her head, and began to speak. "I have known him for a very long time. I met him in a place that seemed like the last safe one, and he seemed to be afraid of me. I talked with him for a short while, and then I left, knowing where, but not when I would see him next. I actually helped him with a bit of a problem he had, but near the end of it, I introduced him to Zelda, and I fear that he is absolutely infatuated with her. And even if he did return my affections, it… it couldn't be."

The wraps on her other wrist seemed even more interesting. The way the cloth made the shadows and shades of gray… she never noticed how intricate it was.

Link was silent for a few minutes. He scratched the back of his neck, a sure sign he was deep in thought. Then, after what seemed like an agonizing eternity to Sheik, he spoke.

"I understand what you are feeling, actually. I'm in a bit of the same situation…" he said softly. Sheik looked at him. "Speak," she commanded.

"Well," he began "I met this girl a long time ago as well. Her appearance frightened me a bit, but when she spoke, I was at ease. I didn't realize it, but she helped me a lot that day. After I met her, I kept hoping I'd see her around, and when I did, she helped me out a lot. She helped me feel a lot better, especially when I was feeling like I was about to die." He stopped for a minute, and readjusted himself into a new position on the floor. "And then, later on, she gave me a really, really helpful tool. I couldn't believe it, really. But… I don't know if she feels the same way about me. It would be nice, y'know?"

Sheik nodded. She couldn't believe it. Could Link's secret girl be… her?

The voice in her head was almost yelling at her. _"Stop it! Ritsuuka! Runs away! Leave the emotions behind! Put them down, run away, and never look back!" _ Why where her knees suddenly such a perfect place to place her forehead? Why was the dark so nice to look at? Nice dark…

She was broken out of her hiding by a tap on her head. Sheik looked up, and found she was looking directly into the perfect blue orbs that were Link's eyes. Eyes. Such pretty eyes… The cerulean pools that seemed to bar his soul to anyone who looked hard enough… Pretty eyes…

"Are you okay?" he asked her, those same orbs filled with… concern? A callused thumb reached out to wipe tears from ruby eyes off of tan cheeks. But though she craved the touch, she turned her head.

"Who would care?" she whispered, her voice slightly roughed with tears and emotions she held back "Who would care about a Sheikah? We are the shadows. We are the protectors of the Royal Family, yet we are treated worse than the lowly mutts that roam the town square… What business does a Great Hero have with a Sheikah? The Hero and the Princess… young love that becomes deep affection… the way it should be…"

Sheik suddenly rose, the veil fluttering wildly, the braid whipping around. "I must… check on the Queen… her sleep has been fitful as of late… and I must not forsake my… duty… any longer."

And with that, she left the young elfin man sitting on the ground, staring at a door he wished very much would open.


End file.
